by Stuart Dickson | January, 2019 | Homelessness
In the first part of this blog about homelessness, I discussed some of the causes and what we can do to help people who find them in this situation. Homelessness continues to be a worldwide issue. In this blog, I am going to discuss the cycle of homelessness and what options are available within the UK. The Cycle of Homelessness According to Citizens Advice, people seeking assistance with homelessness issues has increased by 14%. It is not only people who are living on the streets that are considered to be homeless. It also includes those temporarily living with family or friends (sofa surfing) and people living in unreasonable or dangerous accommodation. According to www.gov.uk the causes of homelessness are typically described as either structural or individual factors. These can be connected or standalone issues and include poverty, inequality, housing supply and affordability, access to social security and employment issues (structural) or poor physical health, mental health, drug and alcohol problems, bereavement, relationship breakdown, experience of care or prison and refugees (individual). Taking unemployment as an example, the cycle begins in being unable to pay the bills that leads to losing ones home. The obvious solution to this is to find another job, but this is extremely challenging without an address. As time passes, self-esteem and wellbeing (physical and mental) further exacerbate the cycle, often leading to drug and alcohol dependency to numb the pain of the experience. Children who are brought up in this environment then lack the education that they require to give them the best opportunities in their adulthood. They are often only able to find low...
by Stuart Dickson | November, 2018 | Homelessness
It was a warm and sunny day. I had just arrived at Waterloo station to meet a good friend of mine for a long overdue catch up over lunch. As I walked down the steps of the station entrance, a familiar sight beheld me. Sitting quietly, a man in his forties, watching the bustle of people as they went about their business. He had a piece of card informing passers by that he was homeless, hungry and grateful for any help. Homelessness is on the increase. Government statistics in January 2018 revealed that in 2017, an estimated 4,751 people slept on the streets in England. That’s an increase of 15% on the previous year. It’s not just England and the UK. I see homeless people in every country I travel to with my work as cabin crew. Causes of homelessness Causes of homelessness It is very easy to generalise as to the reasons why someone may find himself or herself as homeless. The figure of 4,751 refers to people sleeping rough, but what about those in temporary accommodation such as shelters or hostels and those relying on sofas of friends and families? The problem is bigger than we can imagine. Relationship breakdowns are often cited as the reason for being homeless but does it go deeper than that. We all face the challenges in our lives differently. People that are dealing with mental health issues, poor health, drug and alcohol dependency, bereavement, domestic and sexual abuse and experience of the care and or judicial system are more vulnerable. Factor in other circumstances such as poverty and lack of education...
